Saints backup QBs hope to seize the moment in preseason opener

Kickoff versus Kansas City set for 7 p.m.

When Who Dat nation fills up the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for Saints games, there’s one player they came to see more than any other.

Drew Brees.

Unfortunately for those headed to the Dome Friday night for the preseason opener versus the Kansas City Chiefs, they may only get to see a few plays out of No. 9.

But that doesn’t mean there won’t be some very important things to look for under center.

New Orleans brought in veterans Seneca Wallace and Luke McCown and signed undrafted free agent Ryan Griffin this offseason.

Those acquisitions were made in response to former backup Chase Daniel signing a three-year $10 million deal with, you guessed it, Kansas City.

So lots of current and former New Orleans backup flair will be in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome air.

After Brees likely guides the troops for one series, Wallace has the best credentials to be the next quarterback up.

The former Iowa State standout spent the first seven years of his career with the Seattle Seahawks before the next two with the Cleveland Browns. He was released by the Browns after the preseason a year ago, and because of the timing of his release and the difficulty of learning offenses, he chose not to sign with another team and sit out the season.

“It put things in perspective,” Wallace said. “I got to sit back and it was the first time in 15, 16 years that I got to watch football on Sundays and be a fan and see it on the (NFL Sunday) Ticket. You kind of see the product we put out there and it makes you want to get back out there and start playing again.”

Wallace has 31 touchdowns and 18 picks in 62 appearances and 21 starts in his career.

“Even though I am 33 years old, I feel like I can run and do everything I used to do when I was 23. (I’m) Just making sure I maintain my health level and staying on top of things,” said Wallace.

On his fifth team, journeyman Luke McCown will be looking for some reps as well. He has started nine NFL games and played in 13 more with nine scores and 14 interceptions in his career.

Then, of course, there’s the wild card, rookie free agent Griffin. The four-year starter right here in town with Tulane threw 56 touchdowns and 35 picks in his collegiate career. Expect Griffin to get quite the extended look this preseason as the quarterback with the highest ceiling, and by far the youngest, among the backups.

“You can’t ask for a better room of quarterbacks. You really can’t,” said McCown. “It’s good competition. We want each other to do well, we want each other obviously to be better players, and anytime you have that interest in the lives of the people that are in your room, it’s going to make your team better because your team feeds off of that as well. They say, ‘Hey I want to help my teammate help him push him to be better.’”